The Guerrilla Bike Lane’s Gone — Back to Business as Usual on Bergen

Local resident Ian Dutton’s ingenious method of keeping the Bergen Street bike lane clear of parked vehicles near the 78th Precinct has run its course, apparently. With Con-Ed’s construction having wrapped up, the plastic posts that Dutton arranged to create some make-shift separation are no longer there. As of yesterday, it’s back to an illegal parking zone for delivery trucks and NYPD squad cars.

Dutton wrote in to share his next steps:

I’m calling 311 now to report the missing plastic “lane delineators” as they are technically called. Maybe if a lot of other people did it, they’d be replaced?

I’m also writing a request to Brooklyn’s CB8 to ask that they make a formal request to DOT to install delineators on this short segment to deter illegal parking and the use of the lane as a travel lane. I’ll let you know if I get a hearing date.

Since the world didn’t end while the guerrilla lane set-up was in effect, one must assume that NYPD has other vehicle storage options besides this:

Just another Thursday in the Bergen Street bike lane. Photo: Ben Fried

Ben Fried
is the Editor-in-Chief of Streetsblog. He has been covering the movement for safer streets, effective transit, and livable cities since 2008.

You can also attend the 78th Precinct Community Council meeting and, if you want, print out a couple of these pictures in order to ask the officers directly if they think it’s a fair and safe use of the bike lane.

The next meeting is September 25 at 7:30 at the precinct house.

KillMoto

Nothing some chicken wire REBAR, pavement penetrating screws and a few cubic yards of concrete wouldn’t handle. I say we meet there at about 2:45am?

Ben Kintisch

Actually, just the other day, in the Dean Street bike lane (the Bergen lane’s twin in the other direction) there was a huge “Traffic Safety” NYPD van blocking the lane just before the dangerous Atlantic Avenue crossing. There was only two women inside, both seemed to be busy texting on their phones. I politely said, “Officer, this van is blocking the bike lane.” (No reply). “It’s dangerous.” (No reply). “Is that all you have to say?” (No reply, dirty look).
I wonder if cops and traffic agents in that precinct have been told explicitly by their supervisors that it’s always okay to park police vehicles in a bike lane.

Joe R.

The only real long term solution here is going to be bollarding off the bike lanes. In NYC virtually any open space is viewed as fair game for parking. It’s a shame the police set the worst example of all parking in bike lanes and on sidewalks.

Guest

It’s a shame when the NYPD openly breaks the law for their most minor personal conveniences.

Bergen Street Resident

Saturday, 2:30 PM

Brendan G.

Saturday 2:30PM. NYPD Van in lane. No puppies or prisoners in sight. Bonus unmarked car parked in vehicle lane on other side of the street, causing traffic to back up into intersection seconds later.

Does anyone else besides me think it is problematic that this bike lane puts bicyclists to the left of left-turning traffic? Wouldn’t it be better to make the left lane a left-only lane, and then make a bike lane between that lane and the straight-through lane?

http://twitter.com/FLYINGCHOPSTICK FLYINGCHOPSTIK

I wont be able to attend the meeting. Is calling the precinct or 311 effective?